One of the most perplexing problems facing a welder or cutter in the practice of his art is the need to be able to stow a hot welding or cutting torch momentarily during short periods of non-welding operation to permit him to attend to incidental matters. Such matters may include the need to inspect his previously applied welding or cut work, to move about his work area for better body positioning and/or work conditioning, to secure additional working materials such as welding rods or other work-pieces to be applied to the work function, or to permit time and freedom of hands during which to monitor working directions by way of blueprints, or to discuss matters with other personnel who may be related to the job. This problem becomes much more acute when the welder is performing his job at high elevations such as on scaffoldings applied to high buildings under construction or repair, or to relatively large shipping vessels. These same problems become more acute to the welder or cutter who is working in an environment which is not readily accessible for any length of time and/or which require assuming precarious positions relative to the work and to safety precautions.
In all these situations there is the repeated need to disengage the working operation of the torch from the work being attended to and to relocate the torch momentarily to permit the welder to engage in the referred-to matters. This momentarily setting aside the torch has presented many problems during these enumerated situations. In many cases the torches simply fall from scaffordings or from other working platforms positioned at high levels, such as catwalks and ladders, thereby resulting in the torches becoming completely disabled. In many situations a torch which has been laid upon a supporting surface has caused fires or at least has damaged surrounding materials and structure. Setting aside the torch in this manner has caused injuries for both the welder in attempting to retrieve the torch or to nearby personnel who may receive injuries because of fallen torches, or who unknowingly grasps hot torches.
Heretofore, no specific arrangement was devised for containing a welding torch for momentary storage in close vicinity of the welder who intends to resume work with the welding torch. A pouch for tools as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,822,848 lacks the specific adaptation for permitting the quick ingress and egress of a hot tool. This disadvantage is also present in the jacket disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,482,322. The shape of the models adapted for this type of jacket is relatively simple and will not adapt to a many sided welding torch, particularly that of the plasma jet type. The insulation assembly disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,159 is devised simply for a tubular pipe, a very simple shape to accommodate. The insulating device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,565 is devised to accommodate a many sided object such as a faucet. However, the disclosed device is constructed and arranged to be applicable to a faucet and then be maintained thereon for some period of time. There is no provision for the quick ingress and egress of an object nor the prevention of the effect of extreme heat to some materials of the device.